Five ideas to support your community in the wake of Covid-19

Friday March 27, 2020

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It’s safe to say the last few weeks have been bumpy for just about everyone. Normal life has been put on hold and many of us are faced with uncertainties. One thing that is certain though, is that in the wake of Covid-19, humans are exercising kindness, showing compassion and acting more selflessly than ever before. ❤️

Communities are uniting and working together. Neighbours are introducing themselves and lending each other helping hands and rolls of toilet paper. Community initiatives are popping up everywhere - not just in the UK, but across the whole world! These really are unprecedented times. Boomtown is all about celebrating connectivity and with this in mind, we thought it would be nice to do a roundup of the different ways you can get involved and show your support.

Covid Mutual Aid UK

Thousands of Covid Mutual Aid groups have emerged in communities across the UK and many thousands of people have signed up and volunteered their time to help others. Simple acts of kindness are everywhere as people offer to pick up shopping and medication as well as check in on people who are self-isolating or struggling to adapt to life in a pandemic. You can find your nearest Mutual Aid Group to get involved here.

Lockdown Skill Swap

If you are not an essential worker and are therefore spending lots of time at home and with not a lot to do, what better time to learn a new skill or to teach one! This Facebook page has been set up for people who work in the music and entertainment industries (whose work may be compromised by Covid-19) so that people can connect, offer and seek training.

Help your hood

Small, independent shops, cafes and restaurants are among the businesses that have already been badly impacted by the coronavirus. To support, yet another community hero (we’re not sure who), has set up this webpage for businesses to register gift card information, so you buy vouchers from your favourite places and boost their cash flow through this difficult time. As well as this, why not source your food from independent local retailers which can be found here.

Support our amazing NHS

There are two ways you can help the NHS. Firstly you can sit on your sofa, watch Netflix get down with the socially distancing guidelines and you can register to volunteer with the NHS to help vulnerable people stay safe and well at home. You can sign up to be an NHS Volunteer Responder here.

Send love to your neighbours

Show your neighbours that they are not alone and focus on building a community that will last beyond the next few weeks and months. Wash your hands and write a postcard to your neighbours to let them know you’re there if they need something. It’s best to be specific about what you can do to help them. Then wash your hands again, make sure the cards you’re about to deliver through letterboxes are clean and hit the streets. Your message could do a lot to help someone who is isolating or feeling lonely.